Passenger injured after driver swerved, suit says

The mother of a minor girl claims her daughter sustained severe injuries after a driver attempted to turn off a road, then swerved back on the road, causing a collision.

Tamara Newsom as mother of Breanna K. Wilson filed a lawsuit Oct. 14 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Edwin Mumphard.

Newsom claims Wilson rode in a vehicle Dorothea Moore drove west on Marybelle Avenue in East St. Louis through its intersection with 74th Street on Aug. 23 when the collision occurred.

"The defendant attempted to turn off and then back onto Marybelle Avenue and thereby collided with the vehicle in which plaintiff's daughter was a passenger," the suit states.

Because of the collision, Wilson experienced pain and suffering, incurred medical bills and suffered emotional trauma, the complaint says.

Newsom blames Mumphard for causing the collision, saying he negligently failed to keep a proper lookout, drove in a reckless manner and drove too fast. In addition, Mumphard failed to keep his vehicle on the right half of the road, failed to drive within a single lane, failed to sound his horn, failed to reduce his speed, attempted to perform a U-turn when it could not safely be done, moved onto a highway without providing a proper signal and attempted to move a stopped vehicle, according to the complaint.

In her complaint, Newsom seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

Brian M. Wendler of Wendler Law in Edwardsville will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-541.